The Unsolved Case
by tvaddictlyfe
Summary: Olivia is assigned a young rape victim in foster care's case with Det. Stabler. It turns out the girl's rapist is a long time serial rapist known for raping his victims 3 times before killing them. The girl has only been raped twice so far. Olivia is growing increasingly closer to the girl. Can Olivia protect this girl before he comes for the third time?
1. Riverside Park

Disclaimer: I do not own the TV show I am writing about or any of the characters. All proceeds go to creator of the show.

**Chapter 1**

_Riverside Park, Upper West Side Manhattan _

Detectives Olivia Benson and Elliot Stabler approached the crime scene trying to dodge the media's cameras, hopeful to catch a glimpse of the scene.

"What happened?" asked Detective Benson.

"Early morning jogger found Jane Doe naked, tied to a tree, covered in blood, less than an hour ago" replied the officer.

"Where is she now?" Inquired Detective Stabler.

"We called a bus and she was picked up, and taken to Mercy West General"

"Any items found at the scene?" said Benson.

"Her clothes were taken by the rapist, no condom they're checking the ground for fluids but there was dew last night so any semen or saliva could have been washed clean."

"Okay, thanks you have a nice day let us know if you recover anything" said Stabler.

* * *

Detectives Benson and Stabler made their way into Mercy West General hospital.

Detective Benson paused for just a second outside of the victim's room, taking her in. A girl. Young, maybe 16. Covered in cuts and bruises, with an arm sling. Olivia was repulsed, the idea that somebody could do this to anyone, but especially a young girl made her sick. But after so many years on the force she'd learned to set aside her anger at why this happened and channeled it towards catching the perpetrator.

Olivia approached the victim's bed. "Hi" she said warmly "I'm detective Benson and this is detective Stabler we're just here to ask you a few questions, if you're feeling up for it."

The girl nodded and sat up. Although clearly feeling uncomfortable.

"Sweetie can you tell us your name?" Asked Stabler.

The girl went to speak but her voice was extremely hoarse from sitting in the park all night in 40 degree weather. naked. Olivia gave her a reassuring smile.

"Emma, I mean Emily, Lassider" she croaked.

"Great and can you tell us how old you are" chimed Olivia.

Wincing because of the pain she replied "I just turned 15".

Suddenly a Doctor came storming in. "That's it everyone out, she has had too much excitement for now and she needs to rest. We're giving her a mild sedative and she should be out for a couple of hours".

Benson nodded delicately and said "You should rest we'll be back soon to ask more questions". The girl replied with a disinterested nod, and with that the detectives walked out of the room and headed back to the station.

* * *

"Did you get any details on your Jane Doe?" asked Cragen.

"Just her name and age", replied Stabler.

"Good well look it up and contact the family."

"Will do sir"

"El look at this", said Olivia looking at an open file.

"What's up?"

"It's the case file of Emily Lassider."

"She has a case file?"

"Yeah and a long one too. CPS took her from an abusive home at age 7; she's been in and out of foster care her whole life. She's been in three group homes and she's on her 9th foster home."

"Well let's give foster Mommy and Daddy a call and see why they aren't keeping tabs on their teenage foster daughter."

* * *

Olivia and Elliot were waiting outside of Emily's room for her foster parents to show up. Emily was still sleeping. Olivia had to admit they did sound genuinely surprised when they found out she had been attacked.

A red headed woman and balding man approached them. "Are you the detectives dealing with Emily's case?"

"Yes" replied Elliot, "I'm detective Stabler and this is detective Benson", holding out his hand.

"How is she?" said the woman.

"Stable" offered Olivia "But she's been through a lot she'll need your support"

The woman and man exchanged a look that told Olivia something was off but she couldn't quite pinpoint it.

"Shawna, Tom?" said Emily.

All four turned around to realize she had woken up. Shawna immediately went over to the bed and placed her hands on Emily's cheeks and kissed her forehead. Tom put down a vase of flowers on the bedside table and then placed a reassuring hand on his wife's shoulder.

"Are you okay?" asked Shawna.

"Better now that you're here" said Emily as she offered a weak, broken smile.

Tom turned to the Detectives and said "Excuse me, but do you mind if we talk to our foster daughter for a few minutes, then you can have her."

Stabler and Olivia exchanged a look and then Stabler said "Of course just please don't ask her anything about the case before we've had a chance to talk to her."

"Of course" the man mumbled absentmindedly.

Olivia and Elliot walked out and leaned up against the window to the room.

Emily was glad the detectives were gone and she could be with her foster parents. She felt they genuinely loved her and it was the most stable home she'd ever had, she especially loved their two biological kids, 9 year old Jessica and 5 Year old Tommy. "How are Jessica and Tommy? Are they all right?" Emily asked.

"Yes they're fine" replied Shawna lovingly grabbing Emily's hand.

"But actually that's part of what we have come to talk to you about", chimed Tom. "We're worried about their well being and how they would react to something like this" he said pausing briefly.

Emily used this as a chance to jump in, "I know I'm worried about them finding out, don't worry I don't plan on telling them a thing".

"That's not necessarily what we're worried about. We're worried about the media attention this could get and that they haven't captured your rapist yet" he took a huge breath in, "and this is why we have decided once you're released from the hospital you'll go back into the care of child protective services."

It took Emily a minute to register; "What" she said loudly, ripping her hand away from Shawna "But, you can't do this"

Tom replied, "I'm sorry but we've already decided, come on Shawna lets go"

Shawna stroked Emily's cheek once and said "I'm so sorry Em".

Shawna and Tom turned around and headed for the door.

Emma was fueling with rage. She leapt up and grabbed the vase on her bedside table and threw it across the room. It missed Tom's head by inches and landed on the open door shattering, glass and flowers covered the entryway. Stabler and Benson jumped in surprise as Shawna and Tom abruptly turned around.

Emma screamed, "How could you do this to me, I've been with you for almost a year. Just because I was raped, I'm not disposable"

Tom placed his hand on the small of Shawna's back and ushered her out of the room. Shawna and Tom turned to the window to watch Emma's melt down.

Benson yelled "We need some help in here" as she and Stabler rushed inside.

Emma was having a freak out and she yelled again "I'm not disposable" and she started throwing the bed pillows and thrashing.

Stabler grabbed her around her middle in an attempt to calm her. Emma kicked him hard right below his belt buckle and yelled "I'm worth more."

A doctor rushed in and injected a sedative. Calming down she slumped against Elliot and practically whispered "I'm worth more."


	2. In the Hospital

After Emily was injected with a sedative Olivia looked up through the window to see Shawna and Tom walking away. She ran out after them and yelled "Hey! What happened, where are you going?"

"We told her that after she is better she would be going back into CPS" Tom said.

Shocked Olivia replied, "Because she was raped."

"We can't have that type of rift raft in our home we have our own children to think about" said Shawna.

"She needs your guys' loving reassurance that it wasn't her fault, if you leave her you're just implanting into her head that this rape was her fault and that's why you left and no one will want her."

"It is why we left!" Shawna replied exasperated "We're not equipped to deal with this kind of thing look at her she's already acting out and being violent."

"Because she is horrified that you would leave her because of something she can't control! Do you think she wanted to be raped? That she enjoyed it, she probably begged him the whole time not to do it, and to stop."

"Regardless it is our choice, and we are choosing not to continue being her caretakers" answered Tom.

Olivia was disgusted. "You are both horrible people, she deserves better than the likes of you" and then she turned around and walked back into the hospital room.

* * *

Immediately upon entering she could see Emily was asleep back in her bed and Elliot was sitting on a chair holding a bag of ice just below his belt buckle where Emily had kicked him. "You okay El?"

"Yeah just going to be a little sore but I've had way worse. What's the deal with the foster parents?"

"They dumped her because she was raped?"

"What!" said Elliot he couldn't believe his ears.

"Said they weren't equipped to deal with this kind of thing and once she was checked out of the hospital she would go back to CPS."

"That explains her melt down and throwing the vase"

"They're lucky that's all she threw, if it were me I would have done way worse." Replied Olivia looking at a peacefully sleeping Emily she said "She's right, she does deserve more."

* * *

Emily was slowly waking up. Everything hurt and her shoulder was extremely sore. She gasped in pain, and that's when she heard a female voice say her name "Emily" it must be that female cop chick. Suddenly everything flashed back, the rape, her foster parents deserting her, her humongous freak out, kicking a cop, being sedated. She slowly opened her eyes and saw the female detective sitting in a chair next to her bed and the male one sitting in a chair on the other side of the bed icing his junk.

"I'm really sorry about kicking you detective, I- I didn't mean to, I was just…" she slowly let her sentence drift off.

Stabler leaned forward in the chair and looked her directly in the eye "Hey don't worry about it kiddo, you've been through a lot, I'll give you a free pass this time, but don't expect one next time around" and he jokingly winked.

Emily gave a weak smile. "Emily" said detective Benson, "We really need you to tell us what happened"

"Emma, my names Emma, nobody calls me Emily, its Emma."

"Okay, okay, Emma" said Benson. "Can you tell us what happened?"

Olivia noticed Emma immediately dropped her eyes and looked very uncomfortable. Olivia sat down on the bed and gently placed one hand on Emma's good shoulder. "I know its scary Emma, but the only way we can protect you is if we know what happened."

"He's the same one." Emma replied.

"What?" said Olivia "He's the same what? Emma?"

"No! I can't, please I'll tell you everything tomorrow, please" Emma looked up at Olivia and Olivia could see how hurt Emma was, how scared, pleading with her to wait just a little bit longer before reliving her personal nightmare. Olivia looked at her clock and realized it was getting late; already 8:00pm.

"Of course, Emma" Olivia replied while she and Stabler stood up. "We'll be back bright and early tomorrow morning and then we really need you to tell us everything"

"Okay" was all Emma said back.

* * *

Back at the station Olivia, Elliot, Fin and Munch were pouring through cases with a similar MO to Emma's rape and were so far coming up empty handed. Approaching them Cragen said "Did you guys find anything?"

Elliot replied "Not yet sir but we're looking, Liv tried to get the girl to talk but she refused until tomorrow morning".

"Something she said bothered me though, we were asking her to describe the attack and the only thing she said was 'He's the same one' what do you think that could mean?"

"Maybe she knew him" piped in Munch, "she could have met him once briefly and he targeted her after that and that's why she said he's the same one"

"Or maybe it's been a pattern of sexual abuse" said Fin "maybe he's been abusing her for a while and she got sick of it and fought back which is why this time was more violent"

Olivia pondered these theories. "All good plausible explanations, but without the victim's account of what happened we won't know for sure so everyone take off and go home" said Cragen. Olivia reluctantly grabbed the case file and went home, wishing the morning could come faster so she could find out what actually happened.

* * *

Olivia and Stabler were on their way to the hospital after picking up coffee that morning. As they walked into Emma's room, they could sense something was wrong, she was lying on her side, back facing the door, quietly sobbing.

Olivia rushed over "Emma? Emma what happened? Are you alright?"

"I'm fine" she replied, "I just-, look I lied about being raped okay?"

Olivia turned and exchanged a look with Stabler.

Stabler knelt down and said "Why would you say that? We know you didn't lie about being raped, you didn't strip naked and tie yourself to that tree."

"Emma if it's about your foster parents, they were messed up people, but saying you weren't raped when you were won't bring them back" said Olivia. But Emma had turned the other way.

Olivia and Elliot knew it was useless and went to talk outside of Emma's room. "Look El, I don't care what you say something changed her mind she said she would tell us this morning and I believe that she would but something had to have happened"

"You don't think maybe she thought about it all night and figured if she said she was raped more people would abandon her like her foster parents?"

"No El, that's not-, oh excuse me!" Olivia turned to see a nurse walking by. "Hi, I'm sorry to bother you but were you working last night?"

"Yes" the nurse replied "I work night shift I am about to go home"

"Okay yeah, great" Olivia replied waving her hands passively, "We were just wondering last night were there any problems in that room? Anything happen?" (Pointing to Emma's room).

"No, but last night there was a man who went in there, he didn't stay for long, I remember because I saw him walking around and it was late for visitors so I asked him if he needed help finding someone, and he said no, so I sat at the nurses station and caught up on paperwork but a few minutes later I saw him coming out of that room, I went to check on her and she seemed terrified of him. But when I asked her she said she didn't know him."

Olivia looked at Stabler and Stabler replied "Okay thanks you've been a huge help have a nice day"

Olivia and Elliot went back into the room and Olivia sat next to Emma on the bed who was now sitting up and said "Emma? Emma, we know a man was here last night? Was he the same man who raped you? Did he hurt you again last night?"

"No you don't understand, I had never met that man before, he wasn't my attacker, it was- ugh, he, he gave me this and it just really freaked me out but I'm sure it doesn't mean anything" she replied pulling out a letter from behind her pillow.

_Tell those cops one thing, and next time will be even worse, I'll leave you an inch away from death, this time in a deserted area where no one will find you, you ungrateful bitch, because I know you liked it and you asked for more. You can run forever but no matter where you hide I'll find you. Get better darling, I like my play things feeling 100%._

Olivia's mouth was open in shock as she handed the note to Elliot. After reading it Elliot said "Emma you're not safe here, not if he knows where you are, I am going to go see about getting you discharged to go to the station" And with that he left the room. Olivia was pacing next to the bed and said "Excuse me I need to make a call", planning on calling her captain and telling him what they discovered.

As Olivia turned to leave Emma grabbed her hand and said "Wait please don't leave, please"

Olivia was shocked at the fact the Emma was finally opening up so she said okay and sat down. Which was when Elliot came back in and said "Good news Emma, you are officially discharged and we're all going down to the station. Now."


	3. The Police Station

Olivia was angry. She was fuming on the car ride with Elliot and Emma back to the station. She couldn't believe that this perv had actually sent a letter to his rape victim; she turned around to see Emma looking wistfully out the window. She doesn't deserve this Olivia thought. She deserved to be going to the mall with her friends and going on dates with boys. As they pulled up to the station and started walking in Elliot and Olivia kept their eyes peeled for anyone who might be a little too interested in Emily Lassider.

* * *

As soon as they walked in Cragen came over and warmly held out his hand for Emma to shake. She did so half heartedly as he said "Hello Emily, nice to meet you, how are you doing?"

Emma replied "Fine." as Olivia placed a hand on her good shoulder and said "It's Emma" before steering her towards her own desk.

Olivia pulled out a pen and pad and said "Now I need you to tell me everything you remember starting from yesterday right before you were snatched."

Emma nodded, and spoke softly as to not let anybody nearby hear. "I was walking home from a classmate's house last night, we were doing a project and we finished around 8. I had called Shawna and Tom around 6 and told them I didn't need a ride because we would finish so late and it was only a couple of blocks away. We finished earlier than expected but I didn't want to bother them so I said goodbye and I started walking home"

"And you cut through the park as a shortcut?"

"No, no Olivia. I'm not stupid. I was walking home and he came out of nowhere, grabbed me from behind and dragged me into the park, he said he would strangle me to death if I said one word. Then he tied me to the tree. I was so scared of him killing me I couldn't scream and now I wish I had." Emma felt a tear slip from her eye and wiped it off, "Pretty stupid of me huh, I could have just called and asked for a ride instead of walking in the dark and right now I would be sitting at home eating breakfast."

Olivia placed a hand on Emma's shoulder, "It is not your fault, you were a victim of a sexual assault, it doesn't matter if you were walking home alone, he had no right to violate you, but I need you to finish telling me what happened"

Emma wiped another tear away and said "After he tied me to the tree he pulled out a knife, I was so scared he was going to kill me but he just cut my clothes off and then he raped me. Tied up against that tree, I have never felt so low, like I wasn't even human, after he was done he stood up, I thought he was going to let me go but he just buttoned his pants, as he started walking away I said 'hey what about me, you can't leave me here' and he turned to me slowly and said 'Would you rather I take you with me?", and then he walked away laughing. How could he do that, laugh at my misery, like I was beneath him?"

"Okay now this is important, I need you to tell me anything you remember about him, his face, any logos on his clothes, anything?" asked Olivia.

"He wore a mask, so I couldn't see his face, um a couple minutes after he left a car drove by, maybe a white truck, it was dark and my eyes were watery from crying so I can't be sure."

"That's great" said Olivia smiling, "you're doing a great job".

That's when Olivia heard Fin yell her name "Liv you need to get over here and see this now".

Olivia excused herself and hurried over and said "What? Did you guys find something?"

Fin replied "Oh yeah something big".

Elliot said, "We looked and didn't find any cases in the area that fit his MO recently but we expanded our search to cover the east coast and even looked into cold cases"

"Well don't keep me in suspense what did you guys find?" Olivia replied.

"20 year old unsolved rape cases" said Elliot "We knew this guy was a pro because the crime scene was clean and she was clean of fluids, we looked back and there are rape cases that fit his MO that were never solved. Not around here but there are currently 7 unsolved rape cases his exact style in the past couple years that copy this."

"Okay" Olivia replied "Well we'll call in some of the rape victims and question them I'm sure we'll catch him"

Fin replied "Liv there are currently 19 rapes attributed to this guy including this one, his signature; rape a woman 3 times, and on the last time he kills them, wraps them up, and dumps the body."

That's when it clicked for Olivia "Oh my god the Three Wrap Rapist". Fin nodded.

Elliot said "We'd call in the other victims if they were alive to testify" Elliot gestured to the screen monitors and Olivia could see there in plain site were the photos taken at the scene of the 18 other dead assaulted women.

Emma had gotten tired of waiting and went over to see what was going on, that's when she saw all the gruesome dead women on the screen monitor. She gasped in horror and that's when Munch, Fin, Elliot and Olivia all turned around to see the look of horror on Emma's face as she took in what she saw.

Elliot said "Emma you shouldn't be over here". As Munch turned off the monitors.

Emma turned and ran into the bathroom. Olivia said "Let me go talk to her. El, you go tell Cragen what's going on" Elliot nodded as Olivia started towards the bathroom.

Olivia took a deep breath and walked inside, she could hear crying and saw Emma had locked herself into one of the stalls and was leaning against the door. "Emma, please I know you're scared, but you need to come out so we can talk."

Emma opened the door and ran right to Olivia. Before Olivia knew what was happening Emma was in her arms sobbing. "Please, please don't let him hurt me again Olivia, protect me."

Olivia stroked her hair and said "Of course I will, he'll never touch you again" all Olivia could do was stand there, holding her, and hope to god she could keep that promise. Olivia stood back and said "That's what you meant wasn't it, when you said 'He's the same one' he's raped you before hasn't he?" Emma just nodded.

"That's why we need you to be strong, you're the link to finding out who he is, that's why you need to go over every single thing with me that you remember about him and your first and second rape" Emma nodded and dried her eyes.

Olivia put her arm around Emma and started guiding her out back to her desk. She told Emma to take a seat and that she needed to check with Elliot about something real quick and then they would talk.

* * *

"All due respect sir but she can't just go back to CPS, now that we know who her rapist is, she's a target, and she's the only link to solving 18 homicides and 19 rapes in a span of over 20 years" Elliot said.

"Well she's too young to go into hiding by herself like most people of her circumstance would, so what do you propose we do" replied Cragen.

"What if she stays with someone, a cop who can protect her until her rapist is taken up off of the streets" offered Olivia.

Cragen said "Liv are you saying you'll foster her while we look for him?"

Olivia thought about it and then said "Yeah, I guess I am, I can protect her while we find him, anything to keep another girl from being added to his death book."

Cragen was considering it when they were interrupted.

"Excuse me I don't mean to interrupt Cragen I need to speak to you about the latest rape case you got regarding the Three Wrap Rapist"

Cragen shrugged "Well what about it"

"My name is Colonel Lieutenant John Bartlett, this note is directly from the office of Harold Browning and say's I am to take over all questioning and proceedings from here on out in the matter regarding the rape of Emily Lassider, directly from the Associate Sheriff's desk, ignore it at your own peril."

Cragen read the note thoroughly and then looked to Olivia and Elliot and said "Very well hand over everything you've discovered to him and they can figure out what to do with her". Seeing the disapproving look on Olivia's face he said "What do you want me to do this came from a lot higher up than me?"

Bartlett then said "Now detective Benson if you wouldn't mind escorting me to the Victim I will need to introduce my own line of questioning." Olivia silently escorted him to Emma.

He smugly said "Hello Emily, I'll be taking over your case from here on out, now if you will please come with me to the questioning room"

"Why? I want to work with Elliot and Olivia." Emma replied.

"Well it's not up to them now please sit down" he said gesturing towards the chair "and start from the beginning."

* * *

Olivia, Elliot and Cragen were on the other side of the one way glass listening in. "Cragen I don't like this, she's being treated like a criminal instead of a victim." Said Olivia.

"Yeah Captain she didn't do anything wrong here" chimed Elliot.

"I know that but what do you guys want me to do it's out of my hands?" said Cragen begrudgingly.

* * *

"Why are you doing this?" Said Emma. "I already told detective Benson everything I know"

"They seem to think your simple rape is linked to a rape spree by a serial rapist" replied Bartlett.

"Simple rape? You think just because I'm not dead means my rape was simple."

"Don't be so callous Ms. Lassider, I'm sure your rape was very horrible but I'm here to find out if it is truly connected to the Three Wrap Rapist or if it was a small time impersonator."

"What's your first question?"

"Why were you put into foster care at age 7"

Emma had a loud intake of breath and said "What does that have to do with anything"

Bartlett replied "Well it may shed light on if you are emotionally troubled or not."

"Well my dad kicked the crap out of me and my mom couldn't stop using her crack pipe long enough to care, happy?"

Bartlett nodded, "When was your sexual assault"

"2 nights ago"

"Now, was this your first sexual assault?"

"No"

"Were you sexually assaulted by the same man twice?"

"Yes" Emma said menacingly staring him down.

"Now why didn't you report it?

"I did I told a guidance counselor and they didn't believe me, said I had made the whole thing up."

"Why didn't you call the police?"

"I was 13 living in a group home I was scared I didn't know exactly what had happened"

"Is it true yesterday morning you told Detective Elliot Stabler and Detective Olivia Benson that you were not raped?

"Yes, but only because I was scared that he would come back and hurt me again."

"Ms. Lassider do you honestly believe a rapist would come target and attack the same victim more than once?"

"Are you saying I'm lying, that it was a different person who raped me?"

"I'm saying you might be confused is all." Bartlett replied tauntingly.

Emma abruptly stood up "Where's Olivia? I want to see Olivia."

"She's not going to be here to hold your hand through this. You think she gives a damn about you? You're just another case to her."

"I don't want to answer any more of your stupid questions" Emma said hastily.

"Why?" Bartlett said "Getting too real, you fabricated you were raped by this most likely dead serial rapist instead of by some lowlife meth head to get attention."

* * *

Olivia turned to Cragen, "Cragen you have to stop this he's terrorizing her, she's a victim not a suspect, she's not lying."

"Liv I know but my hands are tied" he replied.

* * *

"You know what that's it" said Emma as she sat down, "I'm not going to answer your questions you obviously think I'm lying."

Bartlett leaned forward "Then how about I arrest you for obstruction of justice during the inquiries about a rape case?"

Emma leaned forward "How about you kiss my ass?"


	4. Interview Room

"That's it, this is ridiculous she's a little girl, Captain" said Olivia making her way towards the door.

"Olivia!" Cragen hopelessly tried to grab her arm. Before he knew what was happening Olivia had flung the door to the interview room open.

"Hey! What the hell?" Bartlett yelled.

"What the hell is right" Olivia replied "You arrest this girl for obstruction of justice and I'll let it leak to the media that you personally are arresting traumatized rape victims too scared to tell their side of the story, how well do you think NYPD is going to look after that" she said mockingly.

"Look Detective you're way out of line, this is just a case, and the Associate Sheriff put me in charge of it."

"Well you sure seem to be getting somewhere, you managed to get her to stop talking and threaten to arrest her all in under 20 minutes"

"Olivia, please don't get yourself in trouble" said Emma.

"If you'll excuse me" Bartlett finally said "I need to make a call to the Sheriff's office."

* * *

Walking back in Bartlett said, "Well I talked to Officer Browning and after he reviewed the evidence further it does appear that this rape was linked to the 'Three Wrap Rapist' and NYPD: Special Victims Unit has our permission to continue investigating this crime and is in charge of all artifacts pertaining to this case including Emily Lassider."

Olivia grimaced in response and Emma didn't even turn to look at him as he walked out.

"Okay Emma it's heading into afternoon how about we get some lunch for you?" Olivia said.

Emma just nodded in response.

"Benson I need to see you over here now!" Cragen croaked.

Olivia walked in right as Cragen shut the door so that Emma couldn't hear.

"Olivia what the hell are you doing?" said Cragen who was fuming "you could have been suspended, or fired, you can't go around talking to a Colonel Lieutenant like that! Especially when he comes from the office of the associate sheriff! What the hell were you thinking?"

"I-, I don't know sir, but don't worry it won't happen again" Olivia replied.

"Damn right it won't because I'm kicking you off the case"

"But sir you can't do this!"

"Oh yes I can Olivia, you are getting way to emotionally involved in this case, telling off colonel lieutenants, already not following orders, I can't have this."

"Sir if I may" said Elliot finally speaking "Yes Olivia is probably way to emotionally involved in this case but that's what makes her a great detective, and on top of that Emily Lassider trusts her. When she was scared she asked for Olivia, Olivia can get her to do just about anything we'd need because that girl idolizes Liv so much. You're not going to get that girl to tell Fin or Munch or me any more unless Olivia is in that room and involved in the investigation."

Cragen turned to Olivia, "Liv I would have fired you long ago if you weren't such a damn good detective."

"Thank you sir, I'll try harder to emotionally detach myself from the victim" Olivia said grimacing.

"Don't bother, there's no point if she is going to be staying with you, I'm going to call CPS right now and see if we can get a rep over here to get the ball rolling on the paperwork for Emma to stay with you under protective custody."

Olivia grimaced, "thank you sir I'll finish getting the rest of her story about the previous rape"

"Make sure you do" was all Cragen said in reply.

* * *

Emma wasn't feeling particularly well. Surprisingly finding out that her attacker was a long time serial rapist / murderer wasn't comforting to her. Emma was sitting at Olivia's desk waiting for her to come back, when she returned Olivia had brought her a sandwich and a coke, she'd downed the coke but could only force down about three bites of the sandwich. She felt like she would throw up if she ate any more. Olivia had tried making small talk with her but Emma didn't feel like talking about the weather at this moment, so Olivia had excused herself to go talk to Elliot. That's when Emma noticed the envelope partially hidden under the keyboard. She looked closely and saw it was addressed to her.

She gasped as she dropped the envelope flat on the desk, it was the exact same stationary as the other note she had gotten. Olivia was walking back when she saw Emma drop something on her desk.

"Emma? What happened? Are you okay?" she hurriedly asked.

Shaking Emma picked up the letter, "It-, it's another one, it's just like the one I got before."

"Okay now Emma I want you to put down the letter very carefully" replied Olivia pulling out a pair of gloves. "El come here" she said as Elliot made his way over.

"It's another letter same as before most likely from the attacker" noted Elliot. Olivia nodded in agreement.

Carefully, with gloves on, Olivia slid a pencil under the sealed envelope to open it, and carefully pulled out the letter.

_You dumb cunt. You told too much. Tell anymore and I'll find you sooner than I planned to. The third time you better be ready because after I'm done with you you'll be begging me to kill you, but I won't. I'll sit there and watch you, throbbing in pain, until you're an inch from death before I plunge the knife straight into your heart. Watch your back._

After reading the note Emma started hyperventilating. Elliot placed a hand on Emma's shoulder "Hey kiddo, don't worry, we're not going to let him hurt you, if he even tries, we're going to bust his ass and haul him to jail."

He turned to Olivia "Liv I don't think you should stay alone just you and her at your place, it's not that hard to find your address, I'm going to go talk to Cragen about having a patrol car sit outside of your building in rotating shifts."

Olivia nodded as Elliot left to go discuss with Cragen, she knelt down beside Emma. "Elliot's right you know, we're not going to let anyone hurt you, you'll be safe with me."

Looking Olivia straight in the eye, Emma replied "Not if we're both dead."


	5. Therapy

Olivia was pacing near her desk. This was making Emma nervous. Weren't cops supposed to be like all tough guy; never scared. And Olivia looked scared. This wasn't particularly reassuring. Suddenly Olivia stopped pacing and said "I totally forgot, you're supposed to see Doctor Huang, he's a doctor here who helps victims talk through their trauma. Great, exactly what I need, Emma thought. Some other stupid psychiatrist to tell her how screwed up she was.

Walking into the interrogation room yet again, Emma felt surprisingly calm. She saw a man whom she assumed was the doctor sitting opposite of the open chair that she assumed was for her.

Huang stood up and extended his hand "Hello Emma, nice to meet you. My name is Doctor George Huang. I'll be doing this short counseling session with you."

"I don't need counseling, I'm fine I can take care of myself."

"Have you? Had to take care of yourself?"

"Obviously, being in the foster care system. Especially in New York City, it isn't exactly like hanging out at Disneyland, I've met some of the city's worst people, people who deserve to be here. Not me I shouldn't be here."

"You're right; you shouldn't be here. You deserve better Emily-"

"It's Emma!" Emma snapped, surprising the doctor and even herself. "I'm-, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to snap at you. It's just my mom was the only one who ever called me Emily, and I don't like that."

"Being called Emily reminds you of your mom." Emma nodded. "Where is your mom?"

"Who knows, banging her pimp, in rehab for the 50th time, dead for all I care. She never gave a damn about me."

"And your father?"

"He died in Jail. He wasn't a crack head like my mom but he sure loved his alcohol. He died in jail. Some guy stuck a chiv into his neck in the prison lunch line."

"Do you miss him?"

"No I'm glad he's dead. He deserved to rot. He was an awful man."

"Why do you say that?"

"He did something, something terrible. I-, I had a baby brother Jacob. He was born when I was about 3."

"Right, of course I saw it in your file."

"Yeah when I was 5 and he was 2 my dad got real mad. Over god knows what. Jacob was crying. I was trying to calm him down but he kept thrashing around trying to get up. I lost hold of him and he ran out of our bedroom straight into our dad. Our dad was already in a drunken rage, and Jacob was crying, and at first my dad just slapped him, I thought that was all he was going to do but then Jacob started screaming even louder." Emma felt tears start to fall from her face. "My dad picked up Jacob and held him right in front of his face; screamed at him, told him to shut up. Jacob wouldn't stop crying. So my dad, he threw Jacob, all the way down the stairs. Our next door neighbor Mrs. Ames had heard yelling and called the police. I ran down the stairs and saw him. He was so broken he couldn't be fixed so I held his head and stroked his hair and he died in my arms, whimpering, in so much pain. By the time the police showed up it was too late. My dad told them it was an accident; that Jacob had fallen. But I told them the truth and my dad got 8 years for Negligent Homicide." Emma pounded a fist on the table as her tears now flowed freely. "8 years for killing my baby brother, he was so sweet, he would be 11 now" Emma stifled a sob. "My mom had overdosed in the next room. The ambulance took her and Jacob to the hospital. She woke up 3 days later. My dad was in prison, I was in child protective services, and Jacob was dead. That was the last time I ever saw her; stretched out on that gurney. When I saw her I hoped she would die. The dumb crack whore was too methed out to protect her own kids."

"You didn't have any other family you could stay with?"

"My mom got pregnant with me at 16 she ran away from home, my dad was 24 when they first got together, and he didn't have any family."

"What about your foster homes, were any of them better?"

"About 1/5 of the foster homes are genuinely nice people who want to foster children. The others are people who just want the government check. Or worse they want the kids for other reasons."

"Other reasons? Like to sexually abuse them?"

"Yeah or to just use as a punching bag. For example my third foster home was this really lowlife similar to my mom. Except she valued a whiskey bottle not meth. She shoved me into a wall and told CPS I fell off a swing when the hospital said I had a broken arm."

"Emma, you dove straight into physical abuse, were you ever sexually abused in the foster care system?"

Emma took a deep breath. "Yeah, most kids are."

"Just because most kids are doesn't make it okay. Can you tell me a little bit about when you were sexually abused before the rape?"

* * *

On the other side of the wall Elliot, Olivia, Fin, Munch and Cragen were sitting in awe.

"Man that kid really has gotten the short end of the stick" said Elliot.

Fin replied, "Most kids in foster care do, the system is so messed up".

"Yeah but that doesn't make it okay" Munch added.

Olivia felt one single tear slip out. "Liv are you crying?" asked Elliot.

"Of course not" Olivia replied shaking her head.

"You've seen thousands of cases of child abuse before Olivia" Cragen said.

Seeing Emma in there, all alone and scared Olivia could feel her heart wrenching for this girl. Olivia looked into the interview room, "This time it's different."

* * *

"It wasn't that bad I had it better than a lot of other kids." Emma offered.

"Can you tell me a little bit more in detail?" asked Doctor Huang

"It's only happened in 2 of my foster homes. The first one was when I was eight they had a son, who was 16, he touched me, all the time, made me undress in front of him. He never actually put it in me. He made me touch him once, his erection. I left pretty soon after that, I think the parents figured out what was going on and shipped me off."

"What about the second time?"

Emma's eyes grew dark. "That was worse, a lot worse. I was 11. It was the dad. I stayed in that house for almost 4 months. Starting the second week, he forced me to have sex with him just about every other day, anytime we wouldn't be caught."

"Why did you leave?"

"I told my case worker when she came for a checkup that he asked me to have sex with him, I didn't tell her that he actually did. He went to jail for about a year for Solicitation of a minor."

"Was that abuse similar the sexual assault you just endured 2 days ago?"

Emma shook her head.

"Are you ready to talk about your rape that occurred two days ago Emma?"

Emma abruptly stood up and started pacing. "No I-, I don't want to talk about it yet"

"Would you say you have trust issues Emma?" Doctor Huang pondered.

"Yeah I guess so, I never really felt like anybody wanted me, so I guess I don't open up to people, I don't know."

"But you opened up to Detective Benson?" Emma stopped pacing and looked over.

"Olivia?"

"Yes, Olivia. Do you like Olivia?"

"Yeah sure."

"Do you feel safe with her?"

"Why are you asking me about her?"

"We need to go over some details and see if it is suitable for you to stay with her during this investigation and trial."

Emma nodded. "Yeah I feel safe with her."

"Olivia told me that you ran right to her when you found out about the murder victims."

"Yeah I did, so?"

"Why is that Emma?"

"Because I was scared, and she was there for me."

"It's interesting that you trust Olivia so much because you just admitted to saying you have trust issues, and you just met Olivia yesterday. And if I recall Detectives Stabler and Benson both said you were rather cold towards them at the hospital."

"Olivia's been nice to me, everyone has. I don't know I guess it's because she's a girl and she made me feel like it was okay to talk to her, to tell her things."

"Do you still feel like that?"

"I don't know, all your questions about her are making feel like she may be in trouble for something."

"I can promise you, Olivia isn't in trouble for anything. We just want to make sure you don't become too emotionally attached to Detective Benson."

"Let me make one thing clear, I know she's only being this nice to me because I was raped and I'm part of some big horrible serial rapist murder, whatever. I trust Olivia because she-, she said she would protect me, she promised. Nobody has ever made me a promise like that. And I believe her. What she does is admirable, all of the detectives how they help-, help people like me. But I know after the investigation is over I'm getting shipped back to CPS believe me, I'm almost looking forward to it because that means this rapist will be gone."

Doctor Huang nodded and stood up, "Okay you did great today Emma, I think you're emotionally stable enough to stay with Olivia, we'll have another session tomorrow."


	6. The Closet

Olivia couldn't believe everything that had happened in the past few days. She couldn't remember the last time she felt this exhausted. She'd thought it was a good idea to have Emily stay here but Emma seemed off after that interview with Dr. Huang. Opening her apartment door for herself and Emma, Olivia couldn't help but wonder how the night would turn out.

"Is this your place?" Emma asked.

"Yeah this is home." Olivia replied.

"It's nice it feels home-y" Emma laughed half heartedly.

"Why don't you settle in Emma, and I'll make us some dinner?" offered Olivia.

"You know I'm not really hungry can I just-, I just want to take a shower, please."

"Of course let me show you where the bathroom is" Olivia led Emma through her rather small apartment into her cramped bathroom and turned on the faucet. "Turn the knob left or right to adjust the water temperature and to turn it off turn the knob all the way to the left. And just leave the door open, and I'll leave you some clothes and a towel on the toilet seat."

The only response Olivia got was a disinterested nod from Emma.

Olivia struggled to find clothes she thought would fit. She decided on a slightly baggy t-shirt and shorts to give to Emily, Olivia figured they'd need to go to the store tomorrow to get her some clothes that actually fit. Olivia also found a spare toothbrush in her hall closet when she went to get a towel. As Olivia approached the bathroom she pushed the door open carefully, so not to disturb Emma. She placed the items on the toilet lid and as she turned to leave she heard Emma, crying. Softly sobbing in the shower. 'Poor kid' Olivia thought to herself she's had a really rough time, especially recently with the rape. Olivia silently left the bathroom and went into the dining hall. Truth be told she wasn't very hungry either so instead she laid out all her files, on the Three Wrap Rapist, the 18 murder victims, and Emma's file. She was so wrapped up in work she hadn't noticed the shower had turned off, or heard Emma walk in.

"Olivia?" Emma asked unsure.

"Hey I didn't hear you come in" she turned and smiled at Emma.

Emma smiled weakly in response. "I didn't want to bother you but I was just wondering where am I supposed to sleep? I'm really tired I think I just want to go to bed."

"Oh, are you sure, we could do something, watch a movie or play a game-".

Emma cut her off "I just really want to go to bed actually thanks"

"Oh, okay." Olivia stood up to lead Emma to the guest room. "Sorry the house is a mess I don't have people over often, really ever." Olivia looked sheepish.

"Its fine it looks really nice. Thanks. Goodnight." Emma practically slammed the door in Olivia's face.

"Well so much for trusting me" Olivia mumbled under her breath.

* * *

Olivia had been so busy pouring through case files she didn't realize how late it was getting. Olivia looked at her watch it was already 12:30am. Olivia could feel a headache coming on from lack of sleep. Olivia stood up gently massaging her temples. She figured she should go check in on Emma before climbing into bed herself. But when she pushed open the door the bed was empty. She flicked on the lights and there was still no sign of her. She checked the window and it was still locked. She frantically checked under the bed which was when she heard the whimpering. She stood up and realized the whimpering was coming from the closet. As Olivia approached she heard Emma, talking softly.

"No, please, please, don't hurt me. I didn't do anything please, don't just leave me here."

Olivia opened the door and saw Emma lying on the floor with a pillow and blanket, thrashing around in her sleep. She was having a nightmare; and a bad one from the looks of it. Olivia bent down and gently shook her shoulder in an attempt to wake her from her nightmare. Emma's eyes opened in surprise and Pop! Olivia clutched her stinging face and realized Emma had slapped her. Emma quickly sat up.

"Oh my god! I'm so sorry Olivia. I'm so, so sorry. I didn't mean to I promise. I-, I didn't know it was you I'm not-, I'm so sorry."

Olivia's stinging was subsiding and she turned to look at Emma, "Wow you have a really good hook shot; that came out of nowhere.

"I'm so sorry are you okay?"

"Yeah I'm fine. How are you? It sounded like you were having a nightmare."

"Yeah, I-, I was, but its fine now."

Olivia stood up and motioned Emma towards the bed. "Well I guess this begs the question then as to why you were sleeping in the closet." Olivia grimaced at Emma.

"I don't know I guess I just felt safer there." Olivia relaxed and leaned against the headboard of the bed.

"Do you feel safe here? With me?"

"Yeah I do it's just I'm so scared I'll be attacked."

"Emma did you know I was attacked once? A couple of months ago."

Emma leaned up against the headboard, "No I didn't." There was a moment of silence. "Will you tell me about it Olivia?"

Olivia thought about for a minute and said, "Okay but only if tomorrow you talk to Dr. Huang about your 2 rapes."

Emma thought about it, "Okay but since I'm telling two things that happened, you have to tell me 2 different stories then."

Olivia shrugged, "That seems fair, now" she paused "Where to begin? Well, I was working undercover to find out about a rape in a women's prison. I pretended to be a felon and entered the prison as an inmate. I was mouthy and it bugged one of the guards." Olivia inhaled deeply. "He said he needed to teach me a lesson. So he brought me down into the basement. And tried to rape me. We fought. And then Fin came down, as the guard had just finished tying me up, and had already taken off his pants. So we caught the sick bastard. But it was such a close call. I joined a rape support group shortly after, just to deal with my anxiety. I know it's not as bad as what you or any other rape victims have gone through, but I have nightmares about what could have happened."

Emma reached over and grabbed Olivia's hand."I'm glad you weren't raped. Nobody deserves that, especially you. With all you do to help sexual assault victims, I guess that be a pretty hard slap in the face after how many sick perps you've put away."

Olivia smiled. "You know I'm supposed to be comforting you, not the other way around."

"Well sometimes everyone needs to be comforted." Emma returned the smile. "Now about my second story… I want another one where you go undercover, but maybe with a happier ending."

Olivia groaned, but immediately jumped into the story of when she went under cover for an eco-terrorist group. Olivia couldn't help but feel a sense of relief, having finally told someone about the anxiety she was having about being attacked. And she got the sense that Emma was beginning to actually trust her.


	7. Logo

"Shit." Olivia said as she spilled her coffee. She was running up the stairs trying to get to work but she was already 20 minutes late. Olivia and Emma had to go to a clothing store before work to find something that actually fit. Emma had decided on a pair of Chuck's, new pair of jeans, a black v-neck, and a grey knitted coat. Emma looked pretty darn cute though, Olivia had to admit. She looked young for her age. As Olivia and Emma walked in to work Cragen sarcastically said,

"Oh nice of you to join us Detective Benson".

Olivia looked sheepish and acting put out she said "Clothes shopping for a teenager, they can never make up their mind." Then Olivia turned and gave Emma a wink and Emma smiled in return.

Elliot came up, "Hey kiddo how was your first night with Liv?"

"It was good"

"Yeah what did you two ladies do?"

"Nothing much we just…we talked last night" she smiled as if she was hiding something.

"Well that sounds fun Emma." Elliot replied and patted her back "Now why don't you go start your session with Dr. Huang so that me and Liv can keep working on the case."

Emma nodded and went to Dr. Huang's office to start today's therapy session.

Elliot looked to Olivia "How was it really last night Liv?"

Olivia sighed, "It was good but she's scared of sleeping by herself, she has nightmares and last night I went to check on her and found her thrashing in her sleep in the closet. I ended up sleeping in a chair by her bed, just so she could actually get some rest."

"Aw geez" Elliot replied, "I hope these sessions with George help."

"Me too" Olivia grimaced.

* * *

Dr. Huang tapped his pen on the table. "Emma? You know we've been sitting her for almost forty five minutes. The only thing you managed to do was talk about what you did this morning at Detective Benson's apartment and clothes shopping downtown. Is there anything you'd like to discuss, because that's not what you're here to talk about."

"No I just. I feel bad."

Intrigue Dr. Huang leaned forward, "Why?"

"Everybody is going through so much trouble for me. They're all spending hours and hours look through footage and at the other victims files, and- and my file. And I haven't been able to do one thing that's helpful. I can't remember anything. It was too dark. He was wearing a mask so I couldn't see his face, only his eyes. And on top of that while he was, um on top of me, I looked him in the eyes for a couple seconds before I closed my eyes. Because I didn't want to look at him anymore. I can't even be any help I'm just wasting everyone's time."

"You know that that isn't true. The only reason we know who your rapist is, is because of you. But while we're on this subject let's talk about the attack. Not the physical attack but more the environment. Can you describe it to me?"

Emma swallowed hard. "Well, it was brisk probably 60 when I left my classmate's house. I was trying to hurry because it was cold. And I-, I wanted to say goodnight to Tommy and Jessica before they went to bed. I remember one second I was walking, and the next he came out of nowhere. He wrapped his arm around my neck and started dragging me towards the park. I can still feel his arm pressing on my neck, suffocating me. He said 'If you say one word, I'll strangle the life out of you.' The ground was hard and I could feel a rock digging into my back, as he thrusted himself into me. The only time I opened my eyes was when he started kissing my neck. I turned my head to the left and looked out at the park."

"Alright great Emma, now what did you see when you looked out?"

Emma thought about it for a minute "There was a stick lying about a foot away from me. Maybe two feet long. It looked sturdy. I wanted to pick it up and hit him with it."

"Anything else?"

"Yeah my clothes he threw them to the side he took everything with him. He left his clothes on, he just pulled down his pants but never took them off. And-". Emma looked confused.

"And…?" Dr. Huang prompted.

"Oh my god the bag!" Emma exclaimed as she shot up and ran out of the room.

Emma ran into the squad room. "Olivia? Olivia?" She called a couple times.

Elliot came over "Emma? Hey is everything okay?" She looked nearly hysterical.

This was when Dr. Huang came running after her. "Emma? Emma what happened in there? We need to finish our session?"

Elliot turned to Emma. "Wait Emma you didn't finish your therapy session?"

"No I-"

"No excuses Emma you need to get in there" Elliot cut her off.

"Guys?" Olivia approached and asked unsure. "What's going on?"

Elliot looked at Olivia "Emma didn't want to finish her therapy session."

Olivia looked at Emma, "Is this true?"

"Only because I remembered something that I came out here to tell you!" Emma said defensively.

Olivia looked confused "Okay what is it?"

"I remembered when Doc had me talk about what I saw while, you know, _it_ happened." Emma took a big breath of air. "I had my eyes closed for most of it. But I remembered I turned my head to the side and opened my eyes and my clothes were splayed out on the grass."

Olivia nodded while Elliot stared at her.

"I didn't remember until just now. There was a bag sitting there next to the clothes. It wasn't that big."

Elliot looked like he was trying not to get his hopes up. "Okay, okay now did you see anything on this bag was there a logo, baggage tag, what did the bag look like?"

Emma looked like she was trying to contain her excitement "Yeah, it was navy blue duffel. Small maybe 2 feet in length, and a foot in width and height. And there was a logo. I don't remember exactly what it was but it was small, orange and white, it had three words. Something-something-company."

Olivia's eyes lit up. "Oh my god El!" Elliot looked at her questioningly.

Olivia continued. "Remember what she told us?! About the truck. She said a few minutes after he left a white truck drove by. A pick up." Elliot's eyes opened wide in realization.

Elliot turned to Emma, "Emma this is important I know you said you couldn't see clearly but was there anything on the truck?"

"Maybe a logo on the door, but it drove by really fast I couldn't tell for sure. OH, and there were like coil things in the back of the truck. Like big industrial size ones." Emma replied.

Olivia was giddy with excitement. "Maybe it was a work truck he used, for a company he works for."

"Or owns." Elliot replied.

Olivia looked at Emma, "Emma do you think you could recognize that logo if you saw it again?"

"Yeah definitely!" Olivia smiled. For the first time, Olivia thought they might actually have a chance at catching this sick bastard.

* * *

That night Olivia tossed and turned in her bed. She couldn't sleep. She was too busy racking her brain for any Orange and White logos. That was the most helpful information Emma had given. But even Olivia, Elliot, Fin and Munch searching through logos for the rest of the day wasn't enough to find it. 'Calm down' Olivia thought to herself 'you have all day tomorrow'. The thought didn't make her feel better. She wished she had caught this perp like yesterday. Olivia heard a soft knocking at her bedroom door.

She peaked her head up "It's open" she whispered. Then she saw Emma poke her head around the corner.

"Were you sleeping Olivia?"

"No, just thinking, what about you?"

"I couldn't sleep either."

"Emma, you know you did great today, that was great work."

"Yeah, I just wish I could have done more."

Olivia sat up and motioned for Emma to sit on the bed. "It takes time Emma."

Emma nodded. "I know, I just wish I was like you. You're so pretty and smart and brave. Especially brave, I want to be like that when I grow up."

Olivia placed one hand on the side of Emma's face. "Emma you are brave, you're one of the bravest people I know. Everything you've been through and you're still here." Olivia smiled.

"No not the kind of brave like, 'what she went through was horrible, she's so brave for not killing herself after that.' The kind of brave like you, where you're not afraid of anything. Like when you were attacked, you fought and screamed and held him off until someone came to help you. Maybe if I had done that it wouldn't have happened again." Emma looked ashamed.

"Emma what I did was stupid. It saved me from being raped but he had a gun, he could have killed me, you're more likely to be killed if you try to fight back during a rape."

"It's not only that though, you deal with horrible people and criminals all day every day, and help society. I'm scared to walk around at night, or even sleep by myself." Emma admitted.

"Hey it just takes time. You'll get use to it and move past it." Olivia smiled. "However, you are welcome to sleep here if you want? I would say I could go sleep in your room, but that twin bed is too small and I don't want to sleep in a hard chair again" Olivia laughed.

"Olivia you are one of the best people I have ever met." Emma leaned over and pecked Olivia's cheek. Thank you for all you have done for me." Emma smiled and then laid down. As Olivia laid down, a few minutes later she could hear Emma's soft breathing. Then Emma turned and curled up next to Olivia. All Olivia felt was this undeniable force willing her to protect this girl. She had never felt this way before. As Olivia tried to sleep something occurred to her; she didn't mind feeling this way, responsible for another human being. She was actually kind of enjoying it.

* * *

**Guys thanks for sticking with me. I'm sorry. I know my last 3 chapters have been kind of dull, don't worry my next one will be super action packed. I also want to encourage you guys to leave reviews and prompts. I read all of them and really appreciate them. And I hope you guys enjoy this story, not sure how it will play out yet, but it's my first one and I'm having fun writing it. :)**


	8. Gunther Davis

"Come on kiddo, hurry up!" Olivia yelled as she was putting cereal on the table. It was Emma's first day back at school since the attack. And a new school at that. "Emma!" Olivia yelled. "You don't want to be late for your first day."

"I'm coming, I'm coming." Emma grumbled as she sat down at the kitchen table.

"Are you nervous Emma? I'm sure everyone will be very nice."

"I don't care what they think." Emma started pouring her cereal as Olivia leaned on the table in front of Emma.

"Really? Because I seem to recall yesterday spending hours downtown so you could find _the_ perfect back pack that as you said was the perfect blend of "cute and grunge."

Emma looked up and cracked a smile. "Okay so maybe I care just a little bit. I'm just worried somebody will recognize me from the newspaper."

Olivia smiled and stood up, "I'm sure even if they did nobody would say anything. What happened wasn't your fault and I doubt people wouldn't want to hang out with you just because of what happened."

Olivia felt bad. It had been about a week since Emma had come to stay with her, and on the fourth day Olivia and Elliot took Emma to this really good diner downtown. As they were walking out a reporter snapped a picture of Emma and bam it was plastered all over the next mornings' New York times cover. 'Three Wrap Rapist Returns, Terrified Victim, NYPD Doing Nothing'. The usual mumbo jumbo thought up by low life reporters who paraded themselves on getting the interesting stories. After that though people had taken to pointing and staring at Emma as they got around. Somebody at the grocery store even asked Emma what it was like being raped. Olivia figured it was a good thing the lady quickly rescinded her comment upon seeing Olivia's face and turned around and walked away.

"Okay and I have a present for you." Olivia smiled and pulled out a small wrapped box with a bow on it from her purse, and handed it to Emma.

Emma eagerly ripped off the nicely wrapped paper. Emma's face lit up "Oh my god. This isn't-, it's not-, oh my god it is! You got me an iPhone! The new one!" Emma jumped up and threw her arms around Olivia.

Olivia laughed, "I'm glad you like it. But remember I'm giving you this in case of an emergency. Mine, Elliot's, the stations numbers are all programmed in. Along with our addresses okay? And it's a private number so nobody should be able to contact you on it, unless you give it out." Olivia smiled, "But it's also because I want you to be able to text all the new friends you'll make at school. And listen to music and play games and whatever. But don't let it affect your grades alright? And remember today after school walk straight to the police station, its 2 blocks away okay, I printed out a map and put it in your bag."

Emma nodded. "Good" Olivia replied. "You done with your cereal?" Emma nodded again. "Alright let's get out of here so neither of us is late." Olivia dumped Emma's cereal bowl in the sink and Emma grabbed her bag and they left, both a little nervous about what the day had in store.

* * *

Olivia walked into work right on time for the first time this week.

Elliot stared at her. "Wow first time you've been on time this week? How's mommy-hood going?"

Olivia smiled. "Good, she had her first day of school today".

Elliot chuckled, "You nervous?"

"A little" Olivia replied, "But I think she'll be fine."

"Yeah she will be; Emma's a good kid." Elliot smiled.

"Liv, Elliot, come here." Fin yelled. They both walked over the monitors. "Do you think this could be the logo Emma was talking about? She said Orange and White, and it ended in company and she said it looked like a big W". Olivia looked at it carefully.

"Westside Wiring Company?" she said.

"It fits the profile." Replied Elliot. "Emma said she saw industrial sized coils on the back of the truck, maybe they were wrapped wires. Plus this guy used wire to tie her up not rope."

Olivia grimaced pulling on her coat, "Let's go check him out."

* * *

Walking into the building Olivia really hoped their guy was here. She couldn't wait to get this sick bastard into a cage.

"Hi can I help you?" a friendly receptionist with short black hair asked.

"Yeah" said Elliot pulling out his badge. "NYPD we need to talk to whoever is in charge."

"Uh that's me." A man said from behind. He was tall, maybe mid-forties with dirty blonde hair and laugh lines on his face.

Olivia stepped forward. "Hi we're inquiring about a rape/homicide spree, do you have a minute."

"Oh god, yeah sure please come in. Colton Harvey." He held out his hand and let the detectives into his office. "Please sit." He gestured.

After sitting down Olivia pulled out a photograph of Emma, "We're investigating the rape of this girl. Does she look familiar?"

The guy looked at the photo closely. "No I personally have never seen her before. I could show her around to some of my employees though."

Elliot leaned back in his chair. "Mr. Harvey can you tell us a little bit about what you do here."

"Sure, I started this company in 1987 with some money my father left me in his will. I majored in electrical engineering in college. We do electrical wiring. Mostly residentially, for houses, but we sometimes do small public interest areas, parks, occasionally we do small businesses."

"How many employees would you say you have currently?"

"40 maybe, 25 of which include myself and in house workers."

"In house?" Olivia inquired.

"Yeah in house. They work solely here doing billing, human resources etc."

"So you have about 15, roughly, workers who do the physical work? The actual wiring." Elliot said.

"That's correct, my contractors."

"Uh huh." Elliot nodded. "And how many of them drive company vehicles. Pickup trucks specifically?"

"All of them our company truck is a standard white pick-up."

"Is there a log or something to check them in and out at the beginning and end of the day?" Elliot asked.

"Listen buddy, we're in the middle of Manhattan do you see a parking lot? We don't keep logs; all of my contractors keep their trucks at their house. They're on loan from the company as long as they work here."

Elliot narrowed his eyes. "Great, well you need to call all of your contractors in from jobs right now for questioning."

Harvey Shrugged. "No point they're all in the break room right now; mandatory ethics seminar."

Elliot smiled and pulled out his phone to call for back up to transport all these guys down to the station for questioning.

* * *

Olivia looked at her watch. 2 o'clock pm. Herself, Elliot, Fin and Munch had been grilling all 15 contractors for over 4 hours. Of those 15, 7 had definite alibis. 3 had alibis that were still being looked into, and the last 5 didn't have any alibis. Of those 15 only 2 were registered sex offenders. One of those sex offenders had an alibi, and one didn't.

Olivia and Elliot were pulling up his file on the monitors when Cragen walked over.

"How's it going? Anything turn up?" Cragen asked.

Olivia shook her head. "No but we're looking into our last one. Registered sex offender, no alibi."

"Gunther Davis." Elliot said. "69 worked here 5 years, Arrested in 1997 for exposing himself to a 12 year old girl in a park; got paroled. And in 2004 for raping his neighbor; 17 year old Hannah Barley. The victim wouldn't testify so he only got 8 months and mandatory counseling."

"Does the timeline fit with the other victims? Were any of the victims raped or murdered during his 8 months inside?" Cragen asked.

Olivia shook her head, "Nope, not a one."

Cragen grimaced, "He's all yours go try to get a confession. While we toss his place."

Olivia and Elliot walked into the interview room where Gunther was and Olivia slammed the file on the desk.

"So Mr. Davis, why don't you tell us about August 14, 1997; you flashed a local girl in the park." Elliot said.

"No that, that was a misunderstanding. There weren't any bathrooms and I had to take a leak. She came out of nowhere." Gunther said defensively.

"Uh huh" Olivia jumped in. "Was it a misunderstanding when you raped Hannah Barley in your backyard?" Olivia placed a picture of Hannah in front of him.

Gunther shook his head. "No, that, I did my time for that. And the jury found me not guilty of rape. Only of solicitation of a minor."

"Only because Hannah was too scared to testify." Olivia exclaimed.

"Regardless, I did my time for it." Gunther replied.

"Where were you 7 days ago on the night of November the 5th?" Elliot asked.

"I was at home, watching a movie." He said.

"Oh so basically no alibi then?" Olivia finished.

Elliot placed a picture of Emma down in front of him, one taken at the hospital with her busted lip and badly bruised face.

"This girl. You saw her walking by the park didn't you. You thought it was a great opportunity. So you dragged her in the park, and you raped her, you left her there all night didn't you. Didn't you!"

"No, no I swear I didn't." Gunther said.

Olivia bent down and got really close to him. "You know what, we have people searching your place right now, if we find even one scrap of evidence that connects you to this crime, you're going to jail. For life."

Gunther looked like he was ready to cave.

Cragen opened the door. "Benson, Stabler, come here now." He motioned.

Olivia shut the door behind her "What's up captain? Did you guys finish tossing the place?"

"Yeah and all we found was a whole lot of nothing. He either has a separate place where he's keeping his souvenirs or he's not your guy. Cut him loose." Cragen replied.

Elliot said, "But captain look at him; he's ready to crack."

Cragen nodded, "And we've found nothing on him so far, we'll keep a tail on him. If it does turn out it's him we don't want the trial to go south because we badgered him into a confession." Olivia just shook her head.

Elliot turned and flung upon the door "You're free to go. Don't try anything."

Gunther got up and walked out of the room and started towards the door as Olivia and Elliot were walking back to their desks discussing the case.

Emma walked into the squad room and bumped into Gunther in the entryway knocking her backpack to the floor.

"Oh I'm sorry miss." He bent down and picked up her bag and placed it over her shoulder. "There you go, you be careful, huh you can't just go around bumping into strangers eh?" He gave a smile. And patted Emma's hand.

Elliot was sitting at his desk facing the door while Olivia was leaning up against his desk facing away from the door. He turned and saw Gunther grab Emma's hand.

"Liv" He nodded over to where Gunther and Emma were standing in the door way. Olivia and Elliot leapt up and ran over. Olivia pulled Emma away from Gunther as Elliot grabbed two fistfuls of his shirt and slammed him into the door.

"What did you say to her? Huh?" he slammed Gunther into the door again "You don't get to talk to her."

Gunther held up his hands, "I didn't say anything to the misses. She dropped her bag I picked it up for her."

"Yeah? You can do that without grabbing her hand." Olivia snarled.

Everyone in the room was watching this scene when Cragen came up.

"Elliot let him, go now, or I'll have you suspended."

Elliot looked at Cragen and let go, "Get the hell out of here" he told Gunther.

Olivia turned to Emma, "What happened, what did he say to you?"

"Nothing, I nearly ran into him and my bag fell so he picked it up for me. Who is that?" Emma said.

Olivia placed her arm around Emma, "We think that was the man who attacked you."


	9. Missing

Emma shrugged Olivia off, "It wasn't him." She said calmly.

"We're pretty certain it is him, why don't you think it's him?" Olivia asked.

"Well his build is wrong, and I spoke to him; it didn't sound like my attacker at all." Emma replied.

"Are you sure? You don't think you could be misremembering? It happens to a lot of victims"

"No I'm not misremembering _Olivia._ I know for certain that is was not him." She said with a little too much attitude.

Olivia held up her hands, "Hey I'm just trying to help. We're trying to lock up the guy who did this to you."

"Well you're not helping! That wasn't him! If you want to help do your job and find out who actually hurt me." Emma said a little too loudly.

Emma turned around and realized at least half of the people in the squad room were eavesdropping in on their conversation. Emma stalked away and went to Dr. Huang's office to get started on today's therapy session. Olivia was left standing there stunned. She couldn't believe Emma had lashed out at her like that.

Elliot came up and rubbed Olivia's arm. "Hey Liv you okay? That was pretty harsh what she said and you didn't deserve it. She's probably just nervous that we won't catch this guy but we will." Elliot smiled reassuringly.

Olivia snapped out of her daze. "Yeah, uh I'm fine. Excuse me, sorry." Olivia went and sat at her desk. 'Of course victims have taken things out on me before.' Olivia tapped her foot. 'But why do I care this time?' and the thing that got Olivia was she couldn't figure out why.

* * *

"Hello Emma, thank you for waiting I had some business to take care of." Doctor Huang said as he shut the door.

"No problem." Emma mumbled.

"Now you had your first day of school today right?" He said. Emma nodded.

"How was it?"

Emma rolled her eyes, "It was really great. Who doesn't love transferring to a new school in the middle of the semester?"

"So it wasn't good?" Doctor Huang asked.

"It was whatever. I don't care." Emma relaxed in her chair.

While Doctor Huang leaned forward. "I think it's more than that Emma. I think you do care. I think you desperately want to fit in."

"So what if I do. It's not like I'm ever going to be able to. I-," Emma choked on her words. "Look I can't fit in okay? I'm not like the other kids. It's not the same for them as it is for me."

"Because you were raped." Doctor Huang clarified.

Hannah wiped eyes which were brimmed with tears, "Not just that, they-, they all, they have families. People who want them. People who would notice if they were missing. They're kids whose biggest worries are passing a history test or if they're going to get asked to the school dance. They all have parents who love them. Nobody wants me. Except my sick rapist. I can't-, I can't connect to them on any level."

"People would notice if you were missing Emma." Doctor Huang said sympathetically.

"No they wouldn't." Emma shook her head.

"Olivia would notice."

"Yeah only because I'm staying with her until they catch this guy. How long do you think she'll keep me if my case runs cold? A week a month? And then I'm just going to be shipped off to some crappy foster home and have to transfer schools, again."

"Is that why you're so angry with Olivia?"

Emma scrunched her face, "What?"

"I heard you yell at Olivia in the squad room. You're angry because you're worried Olivia is going to abandon you just like everyone else so far in your life has."

Emma turned her head and purposefully ignored him.

"Emma did you know 1 in 8 kids is sexually abused by the time they are 17?" Emma shook her head.

Doctor Huang continues, "You're not the only one with something to hide at school. But you _are_ different from most of the other kids. What you went through; your parents, your brother, your foster homes, your numerous sexual assaults, those experiences changed you. But you have to decide if you want these experiences to have changed you for the better or destroy you."

Emma smiled weakly. "I don't want this to control my life. I want to move past it." Emma stood up, "Thanks Doc, I should probably go, our time is just about up."

* * *

That night Olivia knocked on Emma's door and opened it a little, "Goodnight Emma." Emma was sitting her bed reading a school book, and didn't even look up when Olivia spoke to her. Olivia quietly shut the door. It hadn't been any better earlier. Olivia and Emma sat in silence on the car ride home and both ate dinner in silence before Emma excused herself to do some homework.

For the past week Emma had been sleeping in Olivia's bed; she was still having nightmares. But tonight Olivia lay alone in her bed. She rubbed her arm over the other side of the bed where Emma had been sleeping and then pulled up the covers tighter.

* * *

The next morning Emma was still silent. Olivia hadn't even bothered trying to talk to her, just gave her some lunch money and drove her to school in silence.

As the day progressed Olivia had trouble focusing on work. She had the increasing feeling that something was wrong but convinced herself that she was just paranoid. Olivia was sitting at her desk deep in thought when around 2pm Olivia got a phone call.

"Hello?"

"Yes is there a Miss Benson available?"

"Uh speaking."

"Hello this is Pacific High School. We're calling in regards to you daughter Emily Lassider."

Olivia turned around in her chair, "She's uh not my daughter."

"Well either way you are her legal guardian, right?" The lady sounded put out.

"Yes". Olivia tapped her pen on the desk.

"Well we were calling to let you know she's not here."

"What?" Olivia dropped her pen. "What do you mean?"

"She checked in for 5th period and by 7th period her teacher marked her absent. We've searched the school premises and she isn't here."

"What do you mean? She has to be there. I never picked her up." Olivia said frantically.

"Yes we know, Miss Benson, this is why we're calling. We're also aware of Emily's special circumstances. Which is why we preferred to call you instead of the police. And also to make sure she isn't with you"

"She isn't!"

"Liv what's wrong?" Elliot came over to her desk.

Olivia covered the phone with her hand, "Emma's not at school anymore, she left halfway through."

"What" Elliot replied. "Is she at your apartment?"

"I don't know", Olivia shook her head, "But if she is she can't get in, she doesn't have a key."

"Well let's go check it out." Elliot replied.

Olivia removed her hand from the phone, "Hello? Hi we're just going to go check the apartment and then go down to the school." Olivia pulled on her coat realizing that the paranoid feeling she had in the pit of her stomach was correct.

* * *

Olivia and Elliot pulled up to her apartment. She had called Emma's cell phone about 50 times on the way over, no answer. As soon as they pulled up Olivia jumped out and ran up to her apartment. As Olivia approached her door she felt her heart sink. Emma wasn't here. Olivia flung open the door to her apartment. "Emma? Emma!" Olivia called desperately.

"Liv," Elliot shook his head, "She's not here. We need to go down to the school and file a missing persons report."

"Dammit! No, not yet hold off on the missing person's report until we talk to the school." Olivia stormed out of the apartment with Elliot close on her heels.

* * *

Olivia ran up to the front desk. "Hello I'm here to see about my-, I mean-, um Emily Lassider!"

"You the mom?" The chubby dark skinned receptionist said.

Olivia shook her head and held out her hand, "No, uh temporary legal guardian, Detective Olivia Benson."

"Miss. Benson?"

"Detective" Olivia turned around.

"Right, sorry. Detective Benson." A tall middle aged woman held out her hand. As Olivia shook her hand the woman said, "Hello I'm Mrs. Sanchez, principle of Pacific High School. Please step into my office."

"Is this your…" Sanchez said nodding towards Elliot

"My partner." Olivia clarified. "Now when was the last time Emily was in class?"

"Our records show her last known whereabouts were in 5th period with Mrs. Fitzgerald studying World History."

"Which was how long ago?" Elliot asked.

Mrs. Sanchez sighed. "About 4 hours," she finally said.

"4 hours!" Olivia stood up outraged. "It's 3 o'clock now! You're telling me that you haven't seen my-, Emma, since 11 o'clock this morning and this is the first that I am hearing of it?"

"Detective Benson," Mrs. Sanchez said sternly, "It is not the school's fault that your _ward_ ran off in the middle of the day."

"Well," Olivia said, "It is the schools fault that they did not call the police. It is required by law when a student leaves campus. She could have been abducted."

Mrs. Sanchez said, "There was a fire drill and then Emma had lunch and Study Hall before her next class. It would have been easy for her to slip away without anyone noticing. Her next class that took attendance started at 1:50, when she didn't show up the office was notified which was when we contacted you."

"Great now point us to the direction of Mrs. Fitzgerald's room."

* * *

Elliot knocked on the door to Mrs. Fitzgerald's room and a student came to answer the door.

Elliot and Olivia walked inside and Elliot pulled out his badge. "Hello, I'm Detective Stabler and this is Detective Benson. Mrs. Fitzgerald do you mind talking to us for a minute?"

"Sure," she nodded, "Class, please read pages 107- 115; on the French Revolution."

Mrs. Fitzgerald followed the detectives out into the hallway and closed the door behind her. "What is this about, Detectives?"

"Uh this girl," Olivia pulled up a photo of Emma off her phone that she had taken a few days ago, "Emily Lassider."

"Oh yes, I heard she skipped school today. Did something happen to her?"

Olivia grimaced. "That's what we're trying to figure out."

"Did Emma seem okay during class? Did she seem off at all?" Elliot asked.

"No. But she did ask to use the bathroom, she stayed in there for quite a while, maybe 20 minutes. I figured she was having feminine issues or something. But when she came back she did seem jumpy. I ask her what was wrong and she said she was fine. Right before class was supposed to get out, the fire alarm went off. An unhappy student who didn't study for a test most likely. It is mandatory that we evacuate to the football field and I check in all students who are in my classroom at that time. I checked Emily in and that was the last time I saw her. It would have been easy enough to leave after that. Most students had lunch right after the fire drill, so there was no check in. And then for Study hall there are 4 places students can go, Library, Learning Commons, Classroom, or Counseling Resource Center, so nobody really knows where certain students are at which times."

"Okay thank you." Olivia said and Mrs. Fitzgerald smiled, "Anything I can do, to be of help, I hope you find her." Mrs. Fitzgerald returned to her classroom.

"What do you want your next move to be Liv?" Elliot asked.

"Let's go check the bathroom, see if she left anything behind there?"

* * *

Elliot was standing outside of the girls' bathroom with the door open, "Did you find anything."

Olivia pulled off her gloves, "Nothing." Olivia stood up and looked around and noticed a camera in one corner. "Oh, but there's a camera in here, let's go look at the footage."

* * *

"Here," the same receptionist as before turned her computer monitor around. "We keep cameras in the main part of the bathroom, not the stalls, just in case there is any drug exchange, sexual assault, etc. Here you go, here is the footage taken place between 10 and 11am."

"Wait, wait go back, and slow it down." Olivia said. "There El! That's Emma."

Olivia looked closely and saw that Emma was on her phone. She looked upset. And then after a few minutes Emma started crying.

"Hey is there volume on these?" Can you rewind the tape and can we hear what was being said?" Elliot asked.

"Yeah," the receptionist turned a knob on the computer all the way up and rewinded the video to when Emma first appeared. Elliot and Olivia listened intently to Emma talking in the video but couldn't hear who was talking on the other line.

_"__Hello?" Emma said._

_"__Who is this, what do you want?"_

_"__How did you get this number?"_

_"__I don't want to."_

_"__No please, please don't hurt her." Emma started to cry. _

_"__Fine, I'll leave. Just promise you won't hurt her please." Emma wiped her eyes. _

_"__Okay." _

_Emma hung up the phone. She then went into a stall and didn't come out for ten minutes. When she did she looked in front of the mirror and dried her eyes, before leaving the bathroom. _

"Liv? Hey Liv you okay?" Elliot asked.

Olivia shook her head, "Uh yeah I...," she drifted off.

"What do you want to do Liv? We don't have much time left?"

Olivia sighed and shook her head, "File a missing persons report."


	10. Found

**Hey guys sorry I haven't updated in a long time, I was really busy all weekend and I was having writers block. A lot of you requested a scene where Elliot and Emma get closer so in the next couple of chapters I'll try to work it in. Please review. :) And thanks for reading.**

* * *

Olivia tapped her fingers on the desk. She had filed the missing persons report but no one had seen her. She was currently utilizing Ruben Morales, NYPD's electrical technician, who was trying to triangulate Emily Lassider's phone.

"Liv calm down." Elliot rubbed her back. "I'm sure we'll find her."

Olivia shrugged him off. "El don't."

"Okay," Ruben said. "Location of her phone is currently on West 135th and Lenox Ave."

Olivia looked surprised, "Harlem?"

"What the hell is Emma doing in Harlem?" Elliot said.

Olivia shrugged on her coat, "I don't know, but I intend to find out."

* * *

"Okay which direction now?" Olivia was in Harlem walking around with Elliot, talking to Ruben on the phone trying to pinpoint Emma's location.

"Okay, actually… it looks like the phone is in use right know!" Ruben said, "An unknown number one not in her contacts list."

"Well are we on the right street at least?" Olivia asked.

"Yes, you're right on top of her, but I can't triangulate it anymore than it is now. You just have to look for her."

"Okay thanks, call me if she moves anymore." Olivia sighed and shook her head as she hung up the phone.

"What'd he say?" Elliot asked.

"We just have to look for her on the phone, he said we're practically right on top of her." Olivia replied.

"Well what's her phone look like?" Elliot inquired.

"Uh, it's an iPhone. It's in a pink case with strawberries on the back or something, I don't know we got it at a mall kiosk."

"Hey Liv!" Elliot pointed, "Doesn't that look like her phone case?"

"Yeah it does!" Elliot and Olivia ran over. Elliot snatched the phone away from a homeless man.

"Hey what are you doing?" The homeless man yelled as he stood up.

Elliot pressed the home button and could see the wallpaper was a picture of Emma and Olivia. He passed the phone to Olivia before pulling out his badge.

"Police where'd you get this phone."

"Hey man I didn't steal it."

Olivia looked at the wallpaper, it was a silly picture Elliot had taken of them, during that dinner at the diner. Olivia didn't know it was Emma's background.

"Look either you tell us where you got it, or we're going to arrest you for possession of stolen property, loitering, and a whole slew of other things." Elliot said.

"Okay okay, look man, a girl came running through here, stopped in front of the trash for a minute then chucked her phone in the trash. She didn't look like she was coming back so I took it."

"How long ago?" Olivia asked.

"About an hour." He replied.

"Okay was she with anyone?" Elliot narrowed his eyes at the man.

"No, but she kept turning around and looking behind her, she was only here for a minute before she had run off again."

"Which direction did she go?" Olivia asked.

The homeless man pointed, "She went into there, but then she came back out maybe 15 minutes later. And ran down the street."

"Okay thank you." Elliot replied.

"I guess let's go check in the West Harlem Group Assistance." Olivia grimaced.

* * *

"Hello can I help you?" A friendly fairly young receptionist smiled from behind the check-in desk as Olivia and Elliot walked in.

Olivia pulled out her badge, "Yes police, do you work here?"

"Oh I'm just a volunteer, but I manage all sign ins and sign outs here at the front desk," the girl smiled.

"So you were here working a couple hours ago?" Elliot asked. The girl nodded.

"Okay then can you tell me if you've seen this girl?" Olivia pulled out a picture of Emma yet again.

The girl nodded, "Yeah I did. She was really sweet. She asked if she could stay here tonight."

"Is she here?" Olivia asked eagerly.

The girl shook her head, "No unfortunately, we can't accommodate homeless teenagers, and so I had to send her away."

"You sent an underage minor away instead of calling the police?" Olivia asked incredulously.

The girl looked annoyed, "Do you know how many homeless teenagers come in here looking for shelter every day? Most of them on the run from the foster care system."

"Did she say where she was going?" Elliot asked.

"No, but I told her she should check out Safe Horizons. It's a homeless shelter specifically for teenagers. It's around 8 blocks away. She just said thanks and left. You could try there."

Olivia sighed, "Okay thank you have a nice day."

Olivia and Elliot left and were starting the 8-block walk to Safe Horizons.

Elliot said, "you want to talk about it?"

Olivia sighed, "I just-, I just don't understand."

"What's that?" Elliot asked.

"I thought I was getting somewhere with her and then yesterday she yells at me at the station, she wouldn't say two words to me after we left yesterday or today not even goodbye when I dropped her off this morning. Then she runs away. I-, maybe I'm not cut out for this."

"Hey" Elliot grabbed her shoulder, "Parenthood isn't easy. You're doing your best."

"That's the thing! El, I'm not her parent. She's just staying with me under protective custody because she can't stay by herself. I would be a horrible parent. I mean look at me, barely had her for a week and she already ran away."

"Liv parenting isn't black and white. Things don't always make sense. But one thing I do know for sure is, that girl trusts you. You're probably the only person on this planet that she trusts. She really likes you Liv, you're all she has, and if she ran away I'm damn sure it was for a good reason. And you know what, I think she's all you have right now too."

Olivia smiled sadly, "I didn't want to get close to her. But I'm finding it hard not to, and I'm so scared we won't find her, or she'll be hurt."

"That's what being a parent is Liv," He patted her, "But come on let's go find her before something happens."

* * *

As they turned the corner they could see Safe Horizons. They walked inside. And saw a friendly older lady wearing a name tag that said 'Hello, I'm Janie."

Olivia and Elliot walked over, "Janie?" Elliot pulled out his badge to show her.

She turned and saw the badge, "Oh hello? Can I help you?"

Olivia pulled out the picture again, "We're looking for this girl."

"Oh Emma right?" Olivia nodded.

"Yes she checked in a little over an hour ago."

"Is she still here?" Elliot asked eagerly.

Janie nodded, "Yes she said she wasn't sure how long she would stay so she went up to her room and then came down about a half an hour ago. She's in the recreation room." Janie pointed to a room down the hall.

"Okay thank you," Olivia said as her and Elliot started walking towards the room.

As they approached the entry way Elliot and Olivia paused and looked in. There were maybe 30 kids or so. There was a ping pong table, foosball, table and a huge TV with some movie playing. They looked around and there sat Emma sitting in an armchair facing the TV her backpack next to her. She had her knees pulled up to her chest. And was looking around nervously. Luckily she hadn't seen them yet.

"Okay Liv, you go talk to her I'll wait outside the room right here in case she tries to run for it."

Olivia nodded and went over to talk to her. The armchair was facing away from the door, but Emma once again turned to look around and she saw Olivia right as Olivia was coming over to her. Emma grabbed her bag and sprang up out of the chair. Olivia held up her hands. Before she knew what was happening Emma had darted the other direction around the foosball table and out the entryway.

Olivia sped after her, "Elliot!"

Right as Emma darted through the entryway Elliot grabbed her around the middle.

Emma gasped in surprise, "Let me go! Right now!"

"Only if you promise not to run again." Elliot replied as and Olivia came running over.

"Emma are you okay?" Olivia asked worriedly.

Emma crossed her arms and blatantly ignored her. Elliot put her down placed his palm firmly on her shoulder and maneuvered her further into the hallway.

Olivia bent down, "Emma what are you doing here? It's not safe for you to be out wandering the streets especially in Harlem."

Emma sighed, "you shouldn't have followed me Olivia. It's not safe."

Elliot leaned into her, "Emma what are you talking about? Why isn't it safe?"

Emma whispered, "He knows where we are, all three of us, he's been following us."

"Who?" Elliot asked.

"Your rapist." Olivia said. Everything clicked and it all made sense now. Why she had run away, who she had been talking to on the phone in the bathroom. Emma nodded.

"He knew where I was, ever since we left the hospital." Emma rummaged in her bag and pulled out letters banded with a rubber band, "he sent me these."

Olivia looked closer, they were addressed to 'Dearest Beloved' or 'My Darling'. "Wait how did he send these to you I check the mailbox every day, you never got any letters?"

Emma shook her head, "He never mailed them. He found ways, he slipped them into my locker, my backpack, random people would come and give them to me when I was walking home. He slipped one into one of my textbooks today during school."

"That's why you went to the bathroom?" Elliot asked. Emma nodded and pulled out a posted note she had stuck to one of the letters.

"_Meet me in the bathroom in 10 minutes or else. I'm anxious to hear your voice my love."_ Olivia read out loud. "Wait that was who you were talking to on the phone in the bathroom?"

"Yeah, I don't know how he even got my number I didn't give it out to anyone."

"Emma what did he say to make you run?" Olivia asked worriedly.

Emma sighed, "He said-, he said he knew I was staying with a cop and I was being a bad girl because I was hiding from him. He said I had to leave."

"Who was the person you were talking about Emma? You said 'please don't hurt her'?" Olivia asked confused.

"It was you." Emma felt a tear spill over. "He said i-, if I didn't leave that you would be his next victim except what he would do to you would be worse than what he did to me." Emma confessed, "I thought if I left he would leave you alone, and then if I wasn't staying in one place he wouldn't be able to find me." Emma's tears were free flowing now.

Olivia was shocked. After all Emma had been through she had left to protect Olivia. Olivia wrapped her arms around Emma, "Emma I'm so sorry." Olivia stroked her hair, "Emma you know you could've told me about this."

Emma whispered, "I'm so scared Liv. He knows everything. I don't think you can protect me, I don't think anyone can." Emma gripped Olivia tighter.

Olivia took Emma's face in her hands "He's never going to hurt you again Emma. I mean it. He's not going to touch you ever, or me for that matter."

"I'm so sorry Liv." Emma wiped her eyes. "Can we go home?"

Olivia laughed and wiped away couple of tears she, herself had shed, "First we have to go down to the station and document these letters and void the missing persons report we filed on you." Emma smiled sheepishly. "But then we can go home."


	11. Dreaming

**Hey guys, I'm SO SORRY for not updating this story. And I know this update was extremely short and the last paragraph really sucked but I am going to update a HUGE chapter where you find out who the rapist is tomorrow or Wednesday. Does anybody have any ideas on who it is? Anyway sorry for being such a sucky writer and double sorry this chapter sucks I have like a super good long chapter I'll post tomorrow or Wednesday. Please R&R :))**

* * *

Emma had fallen asleep at Olivia's desk. She didn't mean to but they had been there for hours. Olivia and Elliot documenting everything and re-going over all the evidence, again. Emma was exhausted and wanted to go sleep.

Olivia came over, "Hey kiddo, how are you doing?"

Emma yawned, "Alright I'm just really tired, all that walking today."

"I know it's been a long day, we'll go soon we're just looking into a couple more people."

"Do you have any leads?"

"Uh yeah. Why don't you come over here and look at the screen."

Emma walked over to the board with Olivia and saw a bunch of different files pulled up. The largest was the Westside Wiring Company.

"I really think that that's the logo Liv." Emma sighed.

"I know but we looked into everyone there, even the in house people who may have had access to a truck and nothing turned up." Emma looked hopeless and Olivia couldn't help but feel bad.

* * *

That night Olivia lay in her bed, while Emma slept next to her. As usual Olivia's brain was in over drive. Her mind was jumping around from suspects to scenarios. She was usually in her own world when Emma's terrified screams or sobbing jolted her. Tonight Emma was unusually quiet. Olivia was thinking about suspects. She knew it was somebody related to that company but she in couldn't figure out whom. The letters all lead to dead ends. Olivia was deep in thought when Emma started whimpering.

"Please…please. Not again. I didn't do anything. No- no." Even in her dreams Emma's screams were muffled. Olivia was right about to wake her when Emma said something new, "I don't care if you're in charge. That doesn't make you good. Please I'm begging you" Emma started sobbing in her sleep which was when Olivia shook her awake.

Emma choked on her tears as she jolted awake and started crying even harder. 'She isn't usually this bad' Olivia thought. Olivia reached over and turned on the light and propped herself up. Emma was still visibly crying and upset and trying to stifle sobs.

"Hey it's okay Em. You're not there anymore. Shhh, shh, sh, you're here with me okay? Not there."

Olivia was leaning against her headboard and wrapped her arms around Emma. Emma leaned against Olivia and placed her head in the crook of Olivia's neck still crying softly.

"It's so scary Liv. I hate dreaming. I feel like I'm there again and reliving being powerless. And then when I'm not dreaming about that my twisted mind is thinking of things he's going to do next time."

Olivia stroked Emma's hair, "Hey you know he's not going to touch you again, you know that. I'm not going to let you get hurt again." Emma didn't say anything and snuggled into Olivia closer, feeling safe for once.

Olivia thought about what Emma had said in her sleep a few minutes ago. "Emma do you remember your dreams, what happens in them in detail?"

Emma sat up and nodded, "Yeah, they're kind of hard to forget."

"About a minute before you woke up you said something; something about _him_ being in charge do you remember that." Olivia asked.

Emma nodded yeah, "Just before he…you know. He talked a lot. He said he was in charge, a lot of people respected him and he ran a business. I don't remember everything; I tried to tune it out."

"Okay" Olivia nodded, "Well if you remember anything else let me know. Even if you don't think it's relevant. Now why don't you lay down and try to sleep okay? You have school tomorrow."

Emma layed down as Olivia turned out the light and layed down as well. Olivia's mind was going a million miles an hour. Emma snuggled up next to Olivia and reached down and grasped Olivia's hand lightly. Emma always felt safe with Olivia. This time Olivia cuddled up to Emma. Olivia really loved how Emma slept in her bed. She felt like Emma had been through so much, more than anybody should ever have to go through in a lifetime but especially a young girl. Olivia couldn't help but want to heal the part of Emma that was terrified of being let down constantly by everyone in her life.


	12. Bird Watching

**Okay guys you may want to go back and reread chapter 8 (if you haven't read it in a while). Also so sorry for not updating when i said i would. I was in a bad car accident and messed up my back and neck and haven't been able to do much but lay down. They have me on a bunch of pain meds so I'll try to update this one fairly soon within a couple days, and if you read any of my other stories I'll try to update those too. Thanks for reading please R&R. **

* * *

The next morning Olivia was dropping Hannah off at school. "Don't forget to go to the station after okay? Head straight there. And be careful crossing the street. Call me if you get any letters or call me if the school gives you a hard time." Olivia said.

Emma smiled, "Liv, I'll be fine. You should worry less."

Olivia grimaced, "It's my job." Emma smiled and shut the door and walked into school.

Olivia pulled out and headed into the station.

* * *

Practically as soon as she sat down at her desk Cragen called her and Elliot into his office.

"Please have a seat." Cragen gestured.

Elliot and Olivia exchanged a confused look before sitting down.

Cragen put his hands on the desk and leaned forward; looming over them. "Now do you guys have any new information on the Lassider case?"

"Well we're still looking through company files of anyone who could've had access to the company vehicles in the past couple years." Elliot answered.

"What about Davis?" Cragen asked.

"We're still looking into him trying to verify his alibi." Olivia said.

"So basically nothing new." Cragen summarized.

Olivia and Elliot looked sheepish.

Cragen sighed and shook his head, "Look I feel for Emma, I do. And I know how important this case is but Harold Browning is the Associate Sheriff and he's breathing down my neck to either catch the guy or move the case to cold files, there's 12 open rape cases you guys haven't even looked at yet."

"But sir, if the case is moved and labeled with the cold cases it will never be solved, it'll sit on a shelf for the next twenty years and Emma, this guy might-." Olivia couldn't even finish that sentence.

"I know Olivia. But you guys need to come up with something new or I'm going to have to boot the case. You have until the end of the day." Cragen gestured to the door and Olivia and Elliot promptly retreated back to the squad room.

As they sat down Olivia looked at her watch and sighed, "We only have 8 hours. Great."

"Well do we have anything new?" Elliot asked. Olivia pondered that for a minute.

"El! You know what?" Olivia suddenly said.

Elliot shook his head confused.

"Last night Emma had a nightmare. She always has nightmares. But last night she said something. I didn't think about until now. She said, 'I don't care if you're in charge. That doesn't make you good. Please I'm begging you'. She said he liked to talk a lot but after a while she tuned him out. She must have remembered what he said subconsciously." Olivia said.

"Right, perp likes to feed his ego; it makes sense. Babbles on about what a great guy he was." Elliot replied.

"Yes but El, he said he was in charge. It couldn't have been Gunther because he's not in charge of the company, and Emma is positive it wasn't him. Who did we not look into thoroughly who has access to all company trucks?" Olivia asked rhetorically.

Elliot's face lit up, "Colton Harvey. The boss of Westside Wiring Company who was all too eager to help out." Olivia nodded.

Elliot grabbed his coat, "Let's go."

* * *

"Hello can I help you?" The familiar receptionist said.

"Yeah we're here to see Colton Harvey." Olivia replied.

The receptionist smiled a little too friendly, "I'm sorry he's on his lunch break."

Olivia looked at her watch, "At 9 in the morning?"

"Look where is he, its urgent." Elliot asked.

"I'm not at liberty to say." The Receptionist replied.

"Well" Elliot pulled out his badge, "You tell us where he is or I'll arrest you for obstruction of justice."

"Okay look, every day for about the past two weeks around this time he goes out for a break, doesn't come back until 10. He goes out again around 2:30 and doesn't come back until 4."

"Where does he go?" Olivia asked.

"He goes to Prospect Park."

Olivia looked over to Elliot, "That's the park across the street from Emma's school!"

Olivia and Elliot tore out of there and down to Prospect Park.

* * *

"Hey Colton." Olivia and Elliot strolled up to Colton who was sitting on the bench with a pair of binoculars facing Pacific High School.

Colton jumped about a foot and lowered the binoculars. "Oh he-hello detectives. Beautiful day isn't it?"

"Colton what uh, what's with the binoculars?" Elliot asked.

"Oh bird watching, I love ornithology." He replied cautiously.

"Well that's interesting Colton because you're sitting at the edge of the park and you're were using binoculars to look at the school, not the park." Olivia inquired.

"A-, a group of them flew that way over the school, I was following them." He replied.

"You know we looked into your record. You're a registered pedophile. You're not allowed within 1,000 feet of a school." Olivia said.

"Hey it's not my fault that Prospect Park is next to a school." He replied.

"No but it is your fault for violating your parole." Elliot said bluntly. Colton looked down.

"Stand up," Elliot pulled his cuffs out. "Colton Harvey, you're under arrest for the parole violation of going within 1,000 feet of a public school. You have the right to remain silent anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to an attorney, if you can't afford one one will be appointed to you."


End file.
